- JLR wants its American business to rival its entire global operation.
- A future Defender could be built on a borrowed Stellantis platform.
- Local US production would let JLR sidestep steep import tariffs.
Jaguar Land Rover is sharpening its focus on the US market, and a new partnership with Stellantis could go as far as local production on American soil. Leading that push is the now-standalone Defender brand, which may pick up models built exclusively for North America.
During the company’s recent investor presentation, chief executive PB Balaji noted that while North America is already their biggest market, it sees “significant growth potential” in the region. JLR’s head honcho added he wants to see the firm’s US business grow to match the current size of JLR’s global business.
Read: Stellantis And JLR Want To Co-Develop And Build Cars In America
To help achieve this, JLR will lean on its work with Stellantis. In May, the two companies signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to discuss potential collaboration opportunities. This partnership will focus on expanding the Defender brand, “exploring new opportunities targeted at North American clients.”
Jaguar Land Rover stopped short of confirming exactly what it has up its sleeve. One possibility is a US-only version of the current Defender, retooled for American tastes, though developing it and setting up production would likely be cost-prohibitive. The more realistic path is an all-new Defender-badged model built on an existing Stellantis platform, possibly borrowed from Jeep. Rumors point to both an SUV and a pickup.
Betting Big On America
“To truly manifest the power of our brands, we will increase our focus on North America, our biggest market,” Balaji said. “The rising demand for luxury products, coupled with the strong preference we see for our brands, signals significant growth potential. Apart from accelerating our existing offerings, we are also exploring new high-potential segments for our Defender brand, which will allow us to offer tailored luxury products and experiences for even more of our US clients.”
Working with Stellantis would let JLR ramp up US production of a model far more easily than going it alone. Stellantis already has a significant manufacturing base in the country and could slot a new Defender model, or models, into an existing site without much trouble, especially if they share the same bones. Building Defenders in the US, rather than importing them from Slovakia as JLR does now, would also sidestep the current 15% import tariff.
